Thu Feb 13 05:21:31 UTC 2025: ## India Skips Warm-up Matches Ahead of ICC Champions Trophy

**Dubai, UAE –** While several teams are utilizing practice matches to prepare for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy, India has opted out of the warm-up games. The tournament, scheduled for February 19th to March 9th in Pakistan and Dubai, will see India play all its matches in Dubai. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) cited the recently concluded three-match ODI series against England as the reason for foregoing the practice matches. The Indian team is expected to arrive in Dubai on February 15th.

In contrast, Pakistan is deploying three of its Shaheens (Pakistan A) squads in warm-up matches against Afghanistan, South Africa, and Bangladesh between February 14th and 17th. These matches will serve as a final preparation phase for participating teams. Afghanistan will also play a warm-up game against New Zealand on February 16th. South Africa and New Zealand are already in Pakistan, participating in a tri-series.

The warm-up matches will be day-night fixtures and will take place across multiple venues: Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, Karachi’s National Stadium, and the ICC Cricket Academy in Dubai. Pakistan has named separate Shaheens squads for each match, with Shadab Khan, Mohammad Huraira, and Mohammad Haris captaining the teams facing Afghanistan, South Africa, and Bangladesh respectively. Full squad lists have been released by the Pakistan Cricket Board.

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